Author: Geek Planet

Microsoft Lens retirement is already in motion on iOS and Android, and it’s about to become a real problem if the app still handles your quick paperwork jobs. Think receipts, signed forms, warranty cards, anything you’d normally capture in ten seconds and file later. Two dates run the whole shutdown. On February 9, 2026, Lens is removed from the App Store and Google Play, which means no easy reinstall if you switch phones or reset your device. On March 9, 2026, Lens stops creating new captures because Microsoft is turning off the cloud service that makes the feature work. You…

In the past, smartphones with smaller form factors usually came with a couple of compromises, and battery life was often the first casualty. But OnePlus’ next palm-friendly flagship might just outlast most of your big premium devices. Going big on battery and charging The company has confirmed that the upcoming OnePlus 15T will pack a massive 7,500mAh battery, which dwarfs the cells found in tall phones like the Galaxy S26 Ultra. After confirming a major camera update, OnePlus China president Li Jie Louis revealed the battery and charging specs of this device. The details were shared in a post on…

Earnings season has returned and with it a familiar exercise in managing uncertainty.For the first time since President Trump’s administration put sweeping tariffs on imports, the country’s biggest advertisers, retailers, media companies and platforms will be asked a pressing question: What’s the impact?  Few have clear answers. The new tariffs are broad, fast-moving and complex, affecting everything from baby toys to car parts, complicating cost structures that many companies had only just stabilized.  That uncertainty tends to surface in familiar language. Expect to hear phrases like ”wait-and-see”, “disciplined pricing” and “no material impact at this time” — not out of…

Windows 11 has a continuity trick called the Windows 11 Resume feature, and it has mostly been invisible. The idea is simple, do something on your Android phone, then your PC suggests where to pick it back up. That sounds a lot like the handoff flow between an iPhone and a Mac. But on Windows, the list of supported apps has been so short that plenty of people have never seen the feature fire outside of a couple familiar names. Microsoft is now signaling that Resume should be able to work with more third-party Android apps, as long as there’s…

For LG, the future of advertising isn’t flashy ad tech or buzzworthy partnerships — it hinges on something far more mundane. The TV menu. The South Korean electronics giant has quietly bet its ads business on turning its smart TVs into the starting point for viewers’ streaming habits.If LG Ad Solutions can make its home screen the default gateway to Netflix, Hulu and YouTube — not just a pass-through but the pace where browsing begins — it can claim a greater slice of the ad dollars flowing through connected television. “Even though we don’t report the numbers, this year will be…

After adding a few shopping features to Gemini late last year, Google is now taking things a step further. The company recently announced a new standard called the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), which enables a more comprehensive shopping experience in the chatbot and Search’s AI Mode. The UCP covers everything from discovery to after-sales support, aiming to streamline shopping for Gemini and Search users. Walmart has now confirmed that it’s among the first retailers to adopt the standard, allowing users to browse, compare, and purchase Walmart and Sam’s Club products without leaving the chat interface. In response to shopping-related queries,…

Marketers may be expecting, and prepared for, chaos but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to navigate yet another round of economic uncertainty — especially when the last one was just a few years ago. The replanning, re-forecasting and expected budget cuts has the marketing community on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop.While President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs are currently on pause for 90 days (aside from the 145% China tariffs, the 10% global tariffs and those on aluminum, steel and cars), there’s an expectation that could change any minute. The repercussions, should there be a change in policy, would…

Two deals stood out during the Q1 wave of consolidation in the ad tech and martech landscape, with activity from agency holding companies piquing interest: Publicis Groupe bought Lotame, while WPP acquired InfoSum.These deals were notable as they represented holding companies writing big checks for ad tech or martech assets — let’s put the pending InterPublic Group (read Acxiom) merger with Omnicom to one side for now — rare occurrences in recent years, compared to similar M&A in the 2010s.  In both cases, the Madison Avenue stalwarts bought close bedfellows (see below), in quick succession. As one source, who requested anonymity…

Snapdragon X2 Plus benchmarks are starting to paint a clearer picture for anyone thinking about a Windows laptop upgrade this year. In a batch of synthetic CPU and GPU runs shared by PCMag, Apple’s M4 beat Snapdragon X2 Plus in four of five tests. If you’ve been waiting for Snapdragon to deliver Mac-like punch in a thin Windows notebook, this is a useful check on expectations. It’s not the whole story, but it does suggest Macs still have a comfortable lead when you’re measuring straight performance. One big caveat is that these Snapdragon X2 Plus results came from a reference…

When the economy wobbles, most marketers ease off the gas. Amazon is telling them to floor it — on its ads, naturally.It’s a predictable pitch from a media owner. But Amazon isn’t just any seller of ad space. It can draw a straight line from impression to impact — be it a sale or a sentiment shift. That’s compelling in any climate but especially when every marketing dollar has to prove its worth.  “The depth of Amazon’s customer data and its massive scale and reach are substantial advantages in this environment,” said Sky Canaves, principal analyst, retail and e-commerce at eMarketer. Amazon…